


Mistakes, hexes, and bloody noses

by PinkIdle



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Dorcas is a Slytherin, Everyone Has Issues, F/F, F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Marlene is a Seeker, Multi, POV Multiple, Remus Lupin Needs a Hug, Rivals, Slow Burn, Swearing, Underage Drinking, catching Snitches and catching feelings, it's gonna be gay guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-06-28 02:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15697866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkIdle/pseuds/PinkIdle
Summary: Dorcas and Marlene could be the perfect couple. If only one of them would stop trying to break the other's bones.Sirius and Remus could be the perfect couple. If only one of them had not a lycanthropy problem to take care of.Lily and James could be the perfect couple. If only one of them would realize how to grow up.In which teens are teens, but not only.





	1. it's Wednesday my dudes

**Author's Note:**

> so... This if my first fic! Wrote this at 2am, edited it at 3, because reasons.  
> Hope you will like it!

"McKinnon, if you keep on brewing exploding concoctions, I'll have to ask you to leave my class definitively!" Slughorn jokingly declared after Marlene's potion had almost burned off the entirety of Mary's hair.

It was Wednesday morning, and Marlene was still tired from yesterday's Quidditch practice. Frank had trained them until almost midnight, and Marlene could hardly function with less than 8 hours of sleep. Of course, this did not constitute a good enough excuse for Mary, still furious after her recent near-death experience.  
  
"You could've blown my head off!" she yelled once they were walking out of the classroom. "Next time, I'll sit next to Lily, at least I'll be safe!"  
"Safer than with Marlene, I'll assure you", Lily commented with a smile.  
"I already told you, Mary, I'm sorry!" Marlene apologized for the fifth time at least. "I was tired because of Quiddi.."  
"I don't care, your potion shouldn't explode in my face, Marlene! Practice less and sleep more!"  
"But we have to crush Slytherin during Saturday's game," Marlene objected, "and we will, I can assure y-"  
"McKinnon!"

Marlene turned her head, already knowing who called her. Dorcas Meadowes was walking towards them, her undone silver and green tie hanging nonchalantly around her neck. She was smirking, and, by the glint of amusement in her eyes, Marlene guessed that she had learned about the Potions' incident.

"Hello Dorcas!" Mary greeted. "How are you?"  
"Almost perfect. What about you? I heard McKinnon almost blew your face off in Potions," she nagged, glancing at Marlene. "I hope you'll be as good Saturday as you were today."  
"As if Slytherin had any chance of winning this match," Marlene retorted. "You're playing with a bunch of brainless nazis."

What was meant to be a snarky remark actually made the Slytherin laugh wholeheartedly, her head thrown back.

"You are not completely wrong, unfortunately," she confessed with a grimace. "But you'll see Regulus -you know, your ex's brother- in action. He may be a nazi, but he's not brainless at all."

She winked, turned on her heel, and walked away, her curly dark hair floating behind her.

"She's always been very theatrical," Lily noted with a flat voice. She glanced at her friend staring into the distance. "Marlene, are you okay? You know she's kidding right?"  
"C'mon Marlene," Mary said, putting her arm around her friend's shoulders, "you guys always bicker before matches, you'll do just fine."  
"Of course you will!" Lily reassured. "Oh, and please catch the Snitch before Potter can score any point, I'd be forever grateful for that."

Marlene and Mary bursted out laughing.

The Friday before the match was, of course, the day of an important Transfiguration test. James had told Marlene he'll try to bargain with McGonnagall, but the teacher seemed to have predicted it. She stopped him before he could even reach her desk.

"No exception Potter. You don't see McKinnon begging to be excused, do you?"

James turned his head towards Marlene and gave her a significant look.

"Well, actually Professor," Marlene began, "I think it could be benefi..."  
"McKinnon, do not even try."

McGonnagall's tone was definitive. Marlene mouthed a "Next time" at James, to which he responded with a determined nod.

They spent the afternoon on the Quidditch field. The Gryffindor's team was lead by Frank Longbottom, a seventh year who was also one of the Beater. Matches against Slytherin often ended with injuries on both sides, so Marlene was counting on him and Prewett to prevent her from losing teeth too early.

"This is the first match of the season," Frank declared with a solemn voice. "Slytherins have been training day and night, and their new Seeker is good."  
"But not better than Marlene!" James chimed in, patting her shoulder.  
"Not better than Marlene, but still good," Frank stated coldly. "We'll have to look out for you, Marlene. Last time, Avery almost knocked you off your broom."  
"I think it was Meadowes," Fabian corrected with a smile. "She's way worse than Avery."

Marlene felt her cheeks heat up as she remembered the match. She was so close to the Snitch and then so close to the ground. Dorcas had hit her straight in her left knee, throwing her out of balance and causing her to dive inadvertently. It also had instantly broken her kneecap. She had been forced to rest for a whole week. The sole memory of the pain made her wince.

"It didn't cost us the Cup," Leana Goldsworth, one of the Chasers, remarked. "Marlene still managed to catch the Snitch."  
"It could have, if the Snitch hadn't been close to her!" Frank retorted. "We're not making the same mistakes again. Fabian and I will be protecting you at all time, Marlene."

Marlene simply nodded, but internally thanked Merlin for hearing her. She wasn't particularly eager to break another bone.

They started practicing for about two hours, until it was too dark for Marlene to even distinguish James' number on his jersey.

"We're going to win this match, I can feel it!" James declared as they were headed to the Common Room.  
"James, you say that before every match we've ever played, ever," Marlene snorted. "Don't be overconfident and remember that you have to score goals, not impress Lily."  
"What do you mean, she's not impressed when I score?"  
"Oh, James," she sighed at her friend's delusion, "she's probably never been impressed by anything you've ever done."  
"What about that time I flew standing up on my broom?"

Marlene smiled with a mix of sympathy and pity, and patted James' shoulder. She had to tell him the truth before he'd get hurt.

"Maybe try complimenting her? Or maybe leave her alone. I know it's hard to hear, but she doesn't seem really interested. Sometimes it's better to, let's say, move on."

James sighed and his shoulders slumped, defeated. He looked like a child who had just spent a Christmas without presents.

"I guess you're right McKinnon," her friend reluctantly admitted, rubbing his neck. "Good night."

He slowly walked upstairs to the boys' dormitories, his hand running through his hair without convinction. Marlene realized she had just discouraged one of her team's best element, the day before the most important match of the year.

The next morning, the whole castle was in effervescence. As soon as she woke up, Marlene felt like throwing up, but Lily and Mary managed to make her go eat some breakfast. The Great Hall was crowded and loud, making Marlene feel even more uneasy than she already was -which she didn't think was possible.

She sat next to James, who looked as defeated as yesterday evening, and drank her pumpkin juice while staring at the empty seat in front of her.

Mary, who was sitting between Marlene and Lily (who didn't want to seat anywhere near James), emitted a sonore sigh of annoyance.

"You guys don't have the attitude you should be having! Come on, you could at least fake a smile."  
"We have company," James muttered, without paying attention to Mary.

Dorcas sat in the empty seat in front of Marlene, who felt her jaw clenching up. The Slytherin was already wearing her Quidditch jersey. Two strands of curly hair escaped from her ponytail and were falling on each side of her face in a way that was too perfect to be natural. She had even put time into applying silver eyeliner, the color shimmering on her dark skin. Marlene hated to admit it, but the young woman was radiating confidence. James didn't even look at her, still captivated by his untouched pudding.

"Morning everyone," Dorcas greeted, way too happy to Marlene's taste. "How's everyone feeling?"  
"Perfect. By the way, you look like you belong on a Vogue cover," Mary commented.  
"A what cover?" the Slytherin asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.  
"It's a fashion magazi-"  
"She was paying you a compliment, Meadowes," Marlene snarled as she rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here, can't you just run along?"

Dorcas raised an eyebrow at Marlene's tone but kept quiet and stood up. A smile spread on her lips.

"Was just here to wish you good luck, guys. Something tells me you're going to need it."

She turned on her heel and walked away to her table.

"Damn, Lily, you were right," Mary said with an impressed voice. "She has something very theatrical."  
"I know, right? I'm sure Broadway would love her."  
"Do you know I've seen Chicago last summer when I went to New York? She'd be great in it."

Marlene didn't even try to understand where the conversation went. She was used to not understanding Muggle references. Even though Mary and Lily often tried to explain to her what a television was or how cars worked, they never succeeded in their task.

"Isn't this the winning team?"

Sirius sat in front on Marlene, followed by a seemingly very tired Remus and Peter, who had written "GRYFFINDOR" in gold and red on his forehead.

"Wow, Prongs! What's going on?" Sirius asked with a worried tone. "You seem absolutely devastated. What'd you do Evans?"  
"Nothing!" Lily protested. "For once that he's neither bragging nor hitting on me. What do you think I do, hex him for fun?"  
"Well, to be honest, that's what we all think."

Lily rolled her eyes and returned to her conversation with Mary. Sirius pointed his index at Marlene. She noticed he wore red and gold nail polish.

"Are you ready to tear my brother apart?"  
"She won't tear him apart, Sirius," Remus corrected in a stern voice.  
"You won't? What if I pay you?"

Marlene scoffed, but the joke didn't seem to be enough to make James smile. She gave the young man a tap on the shoulder as Sirius shot her a confused glance.

"James, we've never seen you like this," Peter said. "Especially not before a Quidditch match against Slytherin."  
"Well, times change," James bitterly answered.

He stood up and walked away, leaving his chocolate pudding untouched. At the same moment, McGonnagall declared it was the time for the team to reunite in the locker room and for the supporters to take place on the bleachers.

"Lily!" Marlene called as the supporter crowd was heading towards the Quidditch field. "I need a favor."  
"What is it?"  
"Go by the lockers and say good luck to the team."  
"And why would I do that?"  
"It would cheer James up, and we need him cheered up. I swear you don't even have to talk to him personally, just like... Briefly look at him. Maybe smile?"

Lily frowned and stopped walking, seemingly offended.

"What do you think I am, a cheerleader?"  
"I don't know what that is, but I'm going to say... No?" Marlene hesitated. "Don't you want Gryffindor to win? You're one of our prefect after all."

The redhead didn't say anything and bit her lip. Marlene stayed quiet and crossed her fingers, knowing she shouldn't talk while her friend was thinking.

"Fine," Lily sighed, "but only because Potter was not as annoying as he usually is this morning."  
"Thank you a thousand times Lily," Marlene cheered as they trailed off to the locker room. "I owe you, so, so much!"  
"That wouldn't be the first time!"  
"I know, I know, you're an amazing friend," Marlene admitted, "an overall amazing person, I'd say."

The comment made Lily smile as they entered the lockers. 


	2. Sticks and stones may break your bones (but a Bludger's more efficient)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw : blood mentions, swearing  
> (this is still Marlene's POV btw)

Maybe the encouraging words of Lily had been useful for the team's -especially James'- morale, but they didn't help the awful weather. The rain was pouring with such violence that Marlene could barely see further than a few meters away. She heard Slytherin opening the score with a goal of Carrow, and almost immediately Gryffindor followed with a goal of Goldsworth. Marlene couldn't even hope to find the Snitch in this weather. Slytherin's Seeker seemed as lost as she was.

He looked like Sirius, but his cheekbones were higher and stronger, and his skin was so pale we could almost see through. He was noticeably smaller than his older brother. Marlene couldn't help but think that he was as attractive as his brother, but in a dark and gloomy type. 

Half an hour in, the rain suddenly ceased. Slytherin was leading by 40 points. Frank asked for a time out that was given to them. 

"Now that we have visibility, Marlene, it's your time to shine."  
"It's always my time to shine," she assured with confidence.  
"Don't be a smart-ass, McKinnon," James snickered.  
"I can't help it if I'm naturally smart, Potter."  
"Naturally an ass too, apparently."

He wasn't looking as defeated as in the morning, Marlene noticed. Sending in Lily seemed to have worked well. She congratulated herself for the idea, and internally promised to buy her friend a gift next time they'll go to Hogsmeade. 

"James, Leana, Mellie, keep on trying to score," Frank continued, pretending not to have heard them bickering. "Do anything to keep their attention and the Quaffle. It'll force their players to concentrate on you rather than Marlene. We don't want our Seeker out at the beginning of the season. James, since you're pretty good on your broom, you have permission to try unnecessary figures to impress them."

James looked like he was about to explode. Frank never allowed him to do figures because he thought them (rightfully so in Marlene's opinion) useless and counterproductive. 

"Oh Merlin, oh Merlin, oh Merlin," he repeated, pacing around in circles.  
"Breathe, dumbass," Marlene said with a smirk.  
"Am I going to regret this?" Frank asked with a concerned tone. 

James had now stopped walking and was just talking to himself, perfectly still. 

"James, buddy, you look bonkers," commented Fabian.  
"James, snap out of it," Frank commanded. "We have a match to win."

Madam Hooch signaled the time out's end and the teams flew back in the air. Dorcas quickly waved at Marlene as she passed by her. Her eyeliner was not even smudged, which lead Marlene to believe that she probably charmed it. 

"Our players are back in the air," Alice McMillan, the commentator, declared with a joyous voice, "and they look ready to fight. Quick reminder, Slytherin leads 90 to 40 for Gryffindor."

Loud cheers erupted from Slytherin's supporters. Marlene gripped her broom tighter, concentrating on her surroundings. The Snitch was nowhere to be seen. 

"Carrow has the Quaffle and passes it to Mulciber. He accelerates, shoots... And it's stopped by Gryffindor's new Keeper, Edgar Bones."

Marlene applauded along with her house. She then noticed a movement next to Gryffindor's central goal. 

"Oh shit," Marlene whispered as she dove to the Snitch level. 

She didn't see Black anywhere near her.  
He might have not remarked it, she thought. It was now only a few meters away. Marlene couldn't believe her luck. She reached her arm out. And right in front of her nose, a Bludger flew by at full speed. She stopped by reflex and immediately regretted it. The Snitch had disappeared. She turned her head and saw Dorcas, bat in hand, who had a satisfied look on her face. 

"You missed me, Meadowes," she spat, bitter that she was so close to winning. 

The Slytherin shrugged. Her smirk didn't leave her face. 

"I wasn't aiming at you, McKinnon."

She pointed at something behind Marlene. It was James, who was holding a hand to his face, his nose dripping with blood. 

"It looks like Meadowes both stopped Gryffindor's Seeker in her course to the Snitch and broke Potter's nose. This is what Muggles call killing two birds with one stone. Literally. Longbottom asks for a time-out, since one of his players is pissing blood from his bloody nose... Get it? Oh, I can't say that? Too graphic? Well, let's say it's a good thing Gryffindor's robes are already red."

James managed to land safely, his hand still on his nose. Madam Hooch quickly examined him, sat him down, and asked him not to move. 

"What happened, James?" Marlene questioned, unable to conceal the worry in her tone. "You are dripping in blood!"  
"Didn't notice that, thanks for pointing it out," James replied, his robe held to his nose. "I was just trying to do a Wollongong Shimmy, you know to confuse their Chasers, and I failed? Well, I didn't fail, it was actually pretty neat, a Bludger just, hm..."  
"Collided against your face," Frank ended with a desperate voice. "I knew I was going to regret allowing him to do figures!"  
"Frank and I were too late," Fabian explained to the team. "Their other Beater, Avery, kept us occupied, so we didn't see Marlene dive. Meadowes saw and did... (he gestured to James' bloody face) that."  
"Isn't she your friend, Marlene?" Leana inquired. "Maybe if you ask her nicely to tone it down..."  
"First of all, it's my friends' friend," Marlene asserted, "and second of all, she almost blew my nose off too!"  
"Yes, she doesn't seem eager to let down the violence," James added, pointing at his nose. "Frank, what do you think?" 

Frank seemed on the verge of a mental breakdown. Madam Hooch arrived with Pomfrey before he could answer. The nurse looked at James' nose for a few minutes. The rest of the team stayed silent, waiting for her verdict. 

"The bone is broken," Madam Pomfrey stated, "and Potter has lost too much blood to be back on a broom today."  
"What does that mean?" Frank inquired.  
"That means the match has to be reported."  
"What, no!" James protested, standing up violently. "You can't report this match, I can play! I'm feeling perfectly fi-" 

He suddenly collapsed on the ground. Madam Pomfrey sighed and instructed Frank and Fabian to lift him up. 

"What is happening?" Alice asked from the teachers' tribune. "James Potter is being carried off the field by his teammates! Our referee wants to talk."  
"The match has to be reported due to an injury of a Gryffindor Chaser," Madam Hooch declared, her voice magically amplified so it was louder than the protesting shouts of the students. "It will be played in two weeks, after the match opposing Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff."

Back in the locker room, the whole team was fuming. Especially Marlene, who couldn't stop thinking how close she was to this damn Snitch. 

"It was less than four feet away! Less than four feet, Fabian!"  
"I can't believe Meadowes managed to break another one of our players' bone," he added.  
"It's starting to get boring," Leana agreed with a sigh. "Anyway, I'm going to the Common Room for a Butterbeer. Feel free to come."

The team followed Leana, except for Marlene who stayed in retreat.

"You're not coming?" Edgar asked.  
"I'm going to see James," she explained, "I'll arrive later."

Marlene changed into her school uniform and got out of the lockers, her mind still replaying the last minutes of the match. She was mad at herself for not being able to see the Bludger coming her way, mad at James for being too concentrated on his stupid figure to avoid the collision, and also mad at Dorcas for hitting the Bludger in the first place. 

Deep in her thoughts, Marlene hadn't realized that she had no idea where she was. It was an empty corridor, with no paintings or doors. She sighed and turned back to retrace her steps, only to be faced with Peeves. 

"Oh, a young McKinnon!"

The poltergeist was floating a few feet away from her, grinning.

"Hi, Peeves."

Marlene kept on walking, not wanting to bring his attention to her. She felt angry enough and Peeves couldn't help. Hexing him could get her detention, and that was not conceivable. Frank would kill her on the spot. 

"Do you know your parents use to come here to snog?" he nagged."Aren't they Aurors now? How things change."  
"Get lost, Peeves," Marlene hissed, walking faster.  
"Oh, I know someone who's bitter to have lost against their rival house!"  
"We didn't lose," she argued, more for herself than as an answer.  
"But you didn't win," Peeves retorted, floating to her level. "I hope your dear parents are better at catching bad guys than you are at catching Snitches!" 

Marlene felt her cheeks heat up in anger and shame. Her fingers gripped around her wand. "Screw it, I'll get detention," she thought,"Frank will get over it."

Footsteps resonated against the corridor's tiles, quickly followed by a voice. 

"McKinnon? Peeves?"

Dorcas was standing behind them. Marlene asked herself how come she always ran into her in such a huge castle. Especially in times like these, where she really didn't have any desire to see her. 

"Meadowes in the flesh!" the poltergeist chanted. "Be cautious, McKinnon's a sore loser, and you already broke one of her bones. Right, McKinnon?" 

The remark made Marlene's blood boil. She got her wand out, but Dorcas was quicker :

"Aqua Eructo!"

A violent jet of water hit Peeves right in the face. He cursed Dorcas out and fled, leaving drops of water as he floated away. Marlene looked at the Slytherin with apparent confusion on her face. 

"That's my favorite spell," Dorcas confided, putting her wand away. "I don't often have the occasion to practice it. A shame, to be honest."  
"You have a thing with hitting people in the head," noted Marlene. "What are you doing here?" 

Dorcas got her wand back from her uniform's pocket and started fidgeting with it. 

"I was on my way to the Nursery. I wanted to apologize to Potter for..."  
"Breaking his nose? Good luck with that."

Marlene was still mad at herself and Dorcas, but the burning feeling in her stomach had ceased. They walked side by side without exchanging a word until they reached the Nursery. 

James was sitting on a bed, a blue paste covering half his face. He was surrounded by the self-proclaimed "Marauders". Marlene had heard them calling themselves this word before, which, to her, sounded like something a bunch of six-year-olds would say. But one could argue that they were basically a bunch of six-year-olds.

Remus was writing on a parchment, next to his friend, probably doing homework. Peter was tasting James' medication and Sirius was laughing at his friend's reactions of disgust. They immediately stopped when they saw the young women coming in. Sirius' eyes narrowed when he noticed Dorcas. 

"What is she doing here?" he asked as he stood up and walked towards her, his eyes riveted on her face. "Did you come here to brag?" 

Marlene looked at Dorcas, who didn't seem impressed and held his gaze. 

"I'm here to apologize to Potter," she calmly explained, "not to talk to you, Black."

Sirius laughed hollowly.

"Of course you are. Why don't you..."  
"Sirius, don't attack her," Remus cut in a definitive tone. "It's a game. And, in all fairness, it was a nice move."  
"You should date him, Black," Dorcas commented. "He says a lot of clever things."

Sirius turned red, curling his fists at his sides. Marlene rolled her eyes, not even surprised that he fell right into Dorcas' trap. 

"We are not..." Sirius blurted out. "He is not... I'm single!"  
"Of course you are," Dorcas said with a wink. "I don't care who you like, Black, it was just an advice." 

Marlene had rarely seen Sirius so embarrassed. Remus were pretending not to hear the conversation, but she saw how his cheeks turned red. She always supposed there was something between her two friends, but now she was certain. 

"Meadowes, did you bring me food?" James asked with an unusual nasal voice. He didn't seem fazed by the altercation. "Because if so, I'd be willing to forgive you."

Dorcas smiled knowingly and got a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans out of her uniform pocket. She threw it to James who eagerly opened the packaging. Peter threw a confused look at Marlene who shrugged. Who knew why she had this in her pocket. 

"I still want to apologize," the Slytherin admitted. For all that's worth, the figure you were doing was impressive."

That statement seemed to be everything James had hoped for and more. His smile could've reached his ears. He looked almost as happy as if they'd actually won the match.

"Well, thank you Meadowes! What you did was good too, I guess."  
"She broke your nose!" Sirius protested.  
"But that was well done."

Sirius threw his hands in the air in desperation. 

"How long did Madam Pomfresh say you have to rest again?" Marlene inquired.  
"Two days. And she said no Quidditch practice for one week!" James complained.  
"We all know you'll be back on a broom by tomorrow," Remus laughed.  
"Let him whine, he needs it," Marlene teased. "He hasn't had enough attention by breaking his nose only 45 minutes in the game."

James threw a pillow at her head. 

The two girls left the Marauders an hour later. Marlene's stomach growled, and she realized she hadn't eaten since the morning.

"I still have a Chocolate Frog, if you want," Dorcas proposed. "I brought it just in case." 

Marlene frowned at this unexpected act of generosity. 

"Why did you bring candies to James? Did you plan it?" she asked, taking the Frog and eating it whole instantly.  
"Of course I planned it. Potter loves candy. He can't stop repeating his favorite day of the year is Halloween because of the treats," she answered. "His forgiveness is easy to buy."  
"Doesn't seem morally right," Marlene observed sarcastically. 

Dorcas giggled and greeted her goodbye. She was about to take a corridor leading to the dungeons, but another question still burnt Marlene's tongue. 

"Do you really think that his figure was impressive?"

Dorcas stopped walking and turned her head, caught by surprise by the question. 

"I don't know, do you think it was?"  
"I didn't see it, and you're avoiding the question."  
"Doesn't matter if I thought it, what matters is his forgiveness and his, now healed, pride. You should thank me, McKinnon."  
"I'm not going to thank you for lying to my best friend, Meadowes!" Marlene protested. "Especially if it was for your own benefit!"  
"It was beneficial for both of us," Dorcas calmly countered with a raised eyebrow. "Now he's feeling better about himself, and he won't hold a grudge against me. It's a win-win."  
"Still a lie."  
"A white one, McKinnon. Not screaming what you think every other second is something you should maybe try."

Dorcas wasn't even trying to mask her condescending tone at this point, which infuriated Marlene even more. 

"I'd rather not, thank you very much," she stated between gritted teeth, stepping towards the Slytherin. "Some of us actually have honor."  
"With everything that's happening out there," Dorcas retorted with a low and composed voice, "being clever is way more important than having honor."

Marlene leaned forward, her eyebrows frowned. She didn't like what Dorcas was insinuating. 

"And what does that mean, Meadowes?" she coldly asked.  
"That we won't fight fucking Voldemort by not telling lies and playing fair, McKinnon," Dorcas spat between gritted teeth. "He doesn't play fair. Get used to it."

For a short instant, Marlene didn't realize the Slytherin was actually angry. She had never heard her swear before, never seen how her jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed. And more important, Marlene never noticed that she pronounced Voldemort without missing a beat. 

Dorcas immediately regained composed traits and walked away without a word, leaving Marlene with many more questions burning her tongue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here you go! next chapter will be Lily's POV, it'll probably be coming next week!


	3. Something Isn't Right Here

"That match was a rollercoaster of emotions," Mary declared as her and Lily left the bleachers, "I can't believe James didn't avoid this Bludger. Did you understand what he was doing?"  
"I'm just happy Potter took the hit instead of Marlene," Lily admitted. 

Her heart had almost stopped when the Bludger skimmed past her friend. She still remembered last year's match, where Marlene was crying in pain after breaking her kneecap. That sport was way too dangerous for kids to be able to play it.

"That's so considerate of you, Evans," sarcastically declared Sirius, who had been walking behind them, accompanied by Remus and Peter. "I'll tell James you send him your regards."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course I'd rather have a Bludger hitting Potter than Marlene."  
"You look pretty joyous for someone whose best friend just fainted in the Quidditch pitch," Mary interjected with a raised eyebrow. "Not very considerate on your part."

Sirius didn't answer and flipped his black hair behind his shoulder in a dramatic gesture. 

"I was going to ask both of you to come with us to the Nursery to see James, but you can forget it."  
"You do realize we don't need your permission to do that, right?" Mary countered. "By the way, is that my nail polish you're wearing? I've been looking for this!"  
"I wouldn't be going anyway," Lily declared sharply. "Potter would think I feel bad for him and he'd become even more annoying, if that's possible."  
"Didn't you give the Gryffindor's team a pep talk before the match? In the sole purpose of cheering James up?" Remus asked innocently.  
"I did it for Marlene." Lily felt her face heat up. "Come on Mary, let's go."  
"Don't have to tell me twice. And I want my nail polish back, Black!" 

They interlocked their arms and headed toward the Gryffindor Tower. The Common Room was filled with the rest of the team, most of them looking defeated. One of the Chaser, Leana Goldsworth, downed an entire Butterbeer without taking a breath. Lily couldn't seem to find Marlene among the desperate faces. 

"She is probably with James, or smashing mirrors in the girls' bathroom. Leave her time to heal," Mary advised.

She took two Butterbeers from the center table and gave one to Lily. They settled at a free spot, away from the disappointed Gryffindors who couldn't stop talking about how close to winning they were. 

"Damn," Mary said, "they are bitter. I mean, I'm disappointed we didn't win, but it's not like we lost. Right?" 

Lily nodded absent-mindedly, worried that Marlene might be even bitter than everyone in this common room combined. Her friend could be hard on herself sometimes, and was prone to get herself into dangerous situations when angered. During second year, after failing two tests in a row, she had provoked a classmate in duel because he mocked her grades. Of course, Lily and Mary had to step in to avoid this and forced Marlene to calm down. 

"I know I'm supposed to root for Gryffindor," Mary continued, lowering her voice, "but I can't be the only one who thought that Dorcas' hit was perfect."  
"She struck Potter in the nose and almost hurt Marlene as badly," Lily retorted with a raised eyebrow.  
"Let's be fair, it was still a nice shot!"  
"I just think they should have changed the rules to adapt them for teenagers. A metal ball flying the air, trying to knock players over, and as if it weren't enough, you can make it go even faster!"

Lily's voice had risen, causing some students to turn their heads in confusion. She quickly apologized as Mary grinned. 

"Let's go upstairs," she decided. "I have homework to do."

Mary rolled her eyes, still grinning. 

"You always say that, but you always finish it in less than one hour. Can't you just pretend it's hard? I need it for my self-esteem."

Lily couldn't stop herself from smiling at the compliment. 

As Mary predicted, she had finished her Transfiguration homework one hour later. They descended back to the Common Room, only to find Marlene who was eating pudding by herself. 

"Shit," Mary whispered, "she must be hopeless. Eating pudding, alone, in the Common Room? Why is she even eating pudding? It's almost noon!" 

Lily shrugged. Marlene looked up from her plate and noticed her friends. She waved at them without conviction. Lily responded with a little wave. They sat next to her, on the couch facing the fireplace. 

"How are you feeling?" she inquired, worried. Her friend didn't seem to be physically in pain.  
"Confused."

One word answer. Those were never a good thing. Mary took Marlene's plate from her hands and laid it down on the table near them. Lily patted her shoulder in compassion. 

"Why do you feel confused, Marlene?" she tried, exchanging an alarmed glance with Mary.  
"A lot of things just happened, and none of them made sense. Well, they did, but everything was just... Confusing."  
"Did someone hex you? Because if so, I'm going to be really mad," Mary declared, standing up. "I don't know how this legal system works, but we will sue them."

Marlene shook her head and made a gesture to sit her friend down. 

"I'll explain. So there was Peeves, and he was being a dick, as usual. I wanted to hex him. And then, Meadowes appeared out of nowhere, and casted Aqua Eructo at him, so he left. She said it was her favorite spell. Then, we..."  
"Hey guys!" Mary interrupted. 

The portrait had pivoted to let Remus, Sirius, and Peter entering. Lily squinted her eyes. Why was Remus being carried by his friends? 

"Oh my God!" she shouted as they approached. 

Remus' nose and lips were bleeding and one of his shoulder was bigger than the other. Lily scurried to help them sitting Remus down on the couch. She whipped out her wand. 

"Episky!"

The blood on his face immediately dried. Remus looked embarrassed and sad. His eyes were closed. He tried to move his shoulder, but he whimpered in pain as a result. Sirius' breathing was loud and unsteady, and Peter looked shaken. 

"What happened?" Lily softly asked, her pulse increasing drastically. "Did someone hurt you?"  
"That Ravenclaw asshole, fucking Leonius Darrow," Sirius spat. His head was almost as red as the couch.  
"He gave Sirius shit for wearing nail polish," Peter explained in a quivering voice. "And he insulted him."  
"What'd he say?" Marlene asked, her fists balled.  
"You don't want to know."

Lily felt like a rock sinked in her stomach. She glanced at Mary, whose eyes were widen with horror. Marlene seemed just as furious as Sirius, pacing around quickly. Her hands were gripping her wand way too tight. Their predisposition to rage made them dangerous when paired up together. On their third date, they almost blew up The Three Broomsticks bathroom. 

"And why did you get hurt?" Lily asked, sitting next to Remus.  
"He punched him. Square in the jaw," Peter responded. "That felt good."  
"Speak for yourself," Remus groaned, holding his injured shoulder. "He punched me back and threw an Inflating Body Hex, but he only touched my shoulder."  
"I'm going to burn him and his asshole friends alive," Sirius growled.  
"I'm coming with you-" Marlene headed toward the portrait-"Let's go."

Mary ran and crossed the way for both of them, her hands on her hips. 

"No one is going anywhere, you guys will not face the entire Ravenclaw house by yourselves."  
"Why not?" Sirius asked, crossing his arms.  
"Yeah, what are you going to do?" Marlene added. 

Mary threw a desperate look to Lily, who sighed. She was the prefect, after all. 

"Sirius, Marlene, come back. Don't make me give you detention on the day of the match against Slytherin," she reluctantly threatened. 

Marlene gasped in a dramatic fashion and Sirius put a hand over his heart. 

"What a low blow, Evans!"  
"You would not!" protested Marlene.  
"Yes, I would. Remus needs you."  
"Plus, that could legitimate to people what Darrow did!" Mary added hastily. "Ravenclaws don't necessarily agree with this behaviour, but if you attack them, you'll be in the wrong in their eyes." 

Marlene shook her head in disappointment but walked back to the couch, followed by an equally disappointed Sirius. 

"For the record, this is bullshit," he declared. "Why can this bastard throw Remus a curse and we can't?" 

Marlene nodded and crossed her arms. 

"He can't," Lily argued, "that's the issue! We should go see McGonnagall."  
"But what if I'm expelled?" Remus panicked. "I don't want to..."

Lily put her hand over his and held it. 

"No one is going to expel you when you did what was right! I won't allow it."  
"Neither will I," Mary added, "this can't stay impunished. You tell me who to sue, and I will."  
"You're not a lawyer, Mary," countered Peter.  
"My parents are! I know they are Muggles, but you can just give them the..."  
"There's no law against homophobia in the Wizarding World, Mary," Remus interrupted with a defeated voice. "There's no law about hate speech of any form."  
"What about throwing a curse?! There's no law about that either?"  
"This is a school matter," Remus retorted. "I won't bring it to court at the Minister. Even Dumbledore will not permit it."  
"Well screw Dumbledore!" Mary yelled.  
"Thank you, Miss Macdonald."

Lily raised her eyes up. Dumbledore and McGonnagall were standing in the Common Room entrance. The Headmaster had an amused glint in his eyes, but McGonnagall's face didn't betray any emotion of any kind. They stepped into the room and walked to the couch where Lily's friends were gathered. 

"We heard a report that Mister Lupin and Mister Darrow got into a fight earlier, and that your opponent threw a spell at you," the teacher said with a severe voice. "Is that true?"

Remus nodded, his head hanging low. Lily heart's wrenched at the desperation of her friend.

"Professor, he's not the one to blame here," she argued, standing up. "I can swear it. Leonius Darrow insulted Sirius in an horrendous fashion, and Remus just acted without thinking."  
"Exactly, justice has to be served!" Mary exclaimed. "This kind of behavior should be punished severely."

She didn't seem too disturbed by being caught insulting the Headmaster by the Headmaster himself. 

Dumbledore made a calming gesture with his hands. He looked stern and composed. 

"I appreciate your explanation and your sense of justice, Misses Evans and Macdonald, but I have to ask Misters Lupin and Black to follow me in my office. We need to have a private conversation."  
"He has difficulty walking," Peter explained. "Darrow threw an Inflating Body Hex at his shoulder."  
"I didn't know the altercation went this far. Why did he say exactly, Mister Black?" McGonnagall asked. 

Sirius shifted position, his hand running down his neck. His jaw clenched and his gaze refused to meet McGonnagall's. Lily's knot in her stomach hardened. She wanted to vomit. 

"He supposed Sirius' sexual orientation and insulted him because of it," Marlene fumed. "He should be expelled."  
"Oh, Merlin!" McGonnagall exclaimed in a shaky voice. "I'm going to have a talk with Flitwick, Albus, and I'll be back."  
"Please do, Minerva, but before that, call Pompom in my office. We'll wait for you. Now if Misters Lupin and Black will take my arms..."  
"Is Remus going to be in trouble?" Mary asked. 

Dumbledore's lips spread into a smile. "You don't have to worry about this."

He disappeared with the students. Silence dawned on the Common Room. 

"I'm going to see James," Peter eventually declared.  
"I'm coming with you," Marlene added. "It'll be better if he learns it from us than from anyone else. Are you guys coming?"  
"With pleasure," Mary answered. "Lily, what about you?"  
"I have to meet Severus before lunch. You'll tell me how it turns out!"

Lily ignored Marlene and Peter's heavy sigh when she pronounced Severus' name. They hated him, especially Peter, who was under Sirius and James' bad influence. Mary was the only one who didn't mind him, but wasn't too fond of him either. 

Lily took her bag and ran to the park, where Severus was in a deep conversation with Mulciber. She approached, hoping the older student wasn't annoying his friend. According to Dorcas, Mulciber had an habit to abuse his power as a prefect to intimidate people. As prefects themselves, they had reported it to Slughorn who said he couldn't do anything without hard proof. Mulciber's father was awfully influent in the Wizarding world, and, in top of that, an alleged Death Eater.

"See you later, Snape," Mulciber declared. His rapsy voice always sent shivers down Lily's spine.

He walked away, and stopped when he passed by Lily. His pale face screwed up in disgust as he stared at her. Lily threw him a cold glare. She was secretly hoping he'd insult her in public so Slughorn would have his hard proof, but he kept on walking. 

"Hey Sev! Are you okay?" she asked, hugging her friend.  
"Perfect, have you seen how the Bludger hit Potter right in the nose? How can I feel anything other than perfect after that?"

Severus' eyes were glowing with pure joy and he was grinning with all his teeth showing. Lily had rarely seen him this happy. 

"I still think this is too violent," she sighed, sitting down by the tree. "Was Mulciber annoying you?"  
"Albert?"  
"His name is Albert?" Lily asked in disbelief.  
"Yes, don't worry, he's a friend of mine. He wasn't annoying me."  
"Dorcas told me he was abusing his authority as a Prefect, I was afraid he'd..."  
"You really have no need to worry, Lily. It's fine."

The familiar knot in Lily's stomach came back as she remembered how Mulciber looked at her. A little voice in her head told her there was every need to worry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering, yes the chapter title is a Bring It On reference.


	4. Candy Store

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Dorcas' gay side is showing, and invitations are bittersweet.

Dorcas loved getting complimented. Of course she did. Who didn't? Reminders of her success and positive attention felt like sugar melting on her tongue.

Although, she was starting to get tired with her housemates congratulating her on her "nice move" during the Quidditch match. "Nice move", meaning violently breaking James Potter's nose.

Avery and Carrow chanted her name when she entered the locker room. Some second years had even asked her if she could teach them how to swing a bat.

The attention still felt good, but misplaced. Sure, she had broken the nose of the most despised Gryffindor player. Sure, he had bled to to the point of passing out in front of every students. But she also stopped Marlene McKinnon from catching the Snitch and therefore winning the match. They should be congratulating her for that.

Dorcas had then decided to pay a visit to Potter, so she could apologize to him, and also to make sure he didn't hold a grudge against her. Spite was a strong motivation, and playing against enraged Gryffindors could cause Slytherin's demise, she had learned it the hard way.

Just before last year's finale, Mulciber, Avery, and Carrow had decided to play a prank on Gryffindor's team. The rest of the team knew nothing about it. One evening, after Gryffindor's Quidditch practice, they had locked the doors leading to the locker room with advanced curses. Flitwick was forced to intervene and managed to get the team out of their lockers. They were never punished, as usual, but the Gryffindors knew who was behind this prank. As a result, they played the match more fiercely than ever, and won.

After her visit to the Nursery and her altercation with Marlene, Dorcas came back to the Common Room, an uneasy feeling twisting her guts. She had seen the confusion in the Gryffindor's eyes when she said Voldemort. She knew that Marlene wasn't a Death Eater, so she wouldn't risk a lot by saying it, but it felt like a part of her got uncovered. Unintentionally so. She slumped in defeat on her favorite leather couch.

Being a Slytherin in times like these was, to say the least, a struggle. Your own house, the place you were supposed to feel safe in, was also the house of self-proclaimed Death Eaters, who couldn't stop saying how they'd love to join Voldemort's army. The rest of the school hated your whole house and you included, whether you were good or not.

Dorcas had fought so hard to prove to her friends she had values and ideals, but she still had to tone it down to avoid trouble. Speaking up publicly could put a target on hers and her family's back. Very few of Voldemort's supporters truly appreciated her, including Avery and Carrow. The rest of them, like Mulciber, tolerated her only because of her badge or her position in the Quidditch team. Her position secured her. But for how long?

A smoky voice dragged her out her train of thoughts. "Meadowes!"

Dorcas raised her head up and breathing suddenly became difficult.

Diana Zabini sat in the leather armchair in front of her and crossed her legs. She had casually pinned her Headgirl badge to a shirt that said "Go Slytherin" in glittering letters. Her painted red lips were spread in a soft smile.

"Hey, Zabini," Dorcas greeted in a quasi normal voice.  
"You look defeated. Why is that?"

Her voice made Dorcas want to tell her everything in her head, from showing her anger to Marlene to the fear of losing her family over standing up for what was right. But she knew better.

"I guess I'm tired of being congratulated for breaking someone's nose instead of stopping Gryffindor's victory. Ungrateful children," she added with a posh voice.  
Diana Zabini chuckled. "Well, we're having a party in the Prefects Bathroom tonight. Would you like to come?"

Dorcas grinned. She had heard about Prefects' secret parties and how wild they could get. And now, she was invited to one. Her worries flew out of her mind for one second.

"Of course! Who's invited?"  
"Every prefect in this school. Except for-" she lowered her voice– "Mulciber and Carrow. Not a fan of Pureblood extremists. Even though, I know that Carrow has a crush on you."

Dorcas didn't know that.

"Does he, really?" she said as she cringed in revulsion.  
Diana laughed. "Don't you think he's cute?"  
"Definitely not my type."  
"I don't have to worry about you inviting him, then?"  
"You don't say," Dorcas jested, causing Diana to widen her (perfect) smile.  
"Perfect." The older girl stood up to leave, and leaned down. "Tell Evans she can come if she wants. And don't forget to bring a bathing suit! It's a foam party."

*****

Finding Lily turned out as easy as anticipated. She was in the library with Snape, arguing eagerly about Potions, like every Saturday afternoon. Dorcas never understood why a girl such as Lily became friends with a guy such as Snape. Maybe opposites did attract, she thought.

Dorcas sat at their table without them noticing. "Good afternoon, you two," she announced with a clear voice.

Lily seemed agreeably surprised. "Oh hello Dorcas!"

Snape's nose crinkled with displeasure. A displeasure he didn't even try to cover up, closing his book violently. That threw Dorcas off. He cheerfully congratulated her less than three hours ago.

"Don't bother to hide your joy, Snape, I can feel it overflowing," she jested.  
"I don't have time for traitors like you."

Dorcas' heart stopped. The coldness in his voice felt like a stab in the guts.

"I beg your pardon?"  
"Didn't you go see Potter at the Nursery? To _apologize_?" He spat the last word like it was poison.  
"Are you kidding me, Snape? I broke the guy's nose! What do you want to do, spit at his face?"  
"Whatever," he retorted, standing up. "You better watch your back. Not all Slytherins buy your little mind games."  
"Not all Slytherins, right?" she smiled hollowly. She was standing up now. "Well, if sincerity is a mind game for you and your dear Death Eaters friends, Snape, that sounds like your problem. I did what was best for the team. I guess I'll see you congratulating me when we win? "

He glared at her and walked away, bumping her shoulder. Lily looked horrified.

"What was that?!" she asked as they left the Library. "Did you apologize to Potter?"  
"Maybe I shouldn't have."

Dorcas' heart was still racing. Who could have known?

"I saw him talking with Mulciber right before," Lily whispered in disbelief. "Are they really friends?"

Dorcas nodded. They were now in the park. The fresh breath of air on her face managed to calm her down.

"Yes. Him, Avery, Carrow. Even Black. A happy team of wannabe Death Eaters. And now they'll probably going to hate me. You know who to blame if I die in my sleep."  
"Don't say that!"

Lily seemed startled, her hand running through her curls. Dorcas patted her shoulder, remembering why she came to see her in the first place.

"There's a party tonight! Prefects only. It's in our Bathroom and you have to bring swimwear."  
Lily's eyes widened. "That's a lot of information. Who told you this?"  
"Diana Zabini."

Her friend smiled knowingly and nudged Dorcas' side.

"Isn't that the girl you had a thing for?" she asked, her eyes widened in false interrogation.  
"That was last year, Lily" Dorcas countered sharply. "I realized that I wanted to be her rather than be with her. She's like an upgraded version of me. Plus, I'm pretty sure she's only into men."

The Gryffindor rolled her eyes, her grin still in place. Time to change subject.

"Whatever, will you come to this party, yes or no? Remus is invited too!"  
"Oh, about that..."

Lily explained everything to Dorcas. Once it was done, she opened her mouth in shock.

"It's outrageous! How can this be happening? Is Dumbledore going to do anything about it?"  
"I don't know, Dorcas. All I know is he won't be able to join us."  
"Yes, I guess so..."

Dorcas saw Mulciber and Carrow talking to each other by the lake. That sight brought back the cold stab in her stomach. Lily had said Snape was talking to Mulciber. Mulciber could have heard it from Peeves. It started to make sense.

"I'll have to leave you for a few instants, Lily."

Her friend in turn looked at the Slytherins and Dorcas, and her eyes widened in fearful surprise. She grabbed her friend's shoulder.

"You're not going to talk to them, are you?" Lily asked in a worried tone. "You hate confrontation."  
"I like playful confrontation," Dorcas argued. "Look at me and McKinnon. It's all fun and games."  
"They do not look fun, Dorcas. You should have seen how Mulciber looked at me earlier."  
"Amycus is with him, and I've been told he has a crush on me. Plus, Mulciber hates you, Lily, but he doesn't hate me."  
"That's not what Severus seemed to think..."

Dorcas sighed. She felt emotionally exhausted. She knew she had to make a choice, eventually. She knew that laying low couldn't last forever.

"Listen, I have to take care of this before it goes out of hand. Don't worry, I don't have your friends' problem with impulsiveness. I'm as smooth as one can be."

Lily chuckled nervously. She grabbed Dorcas' hand and held it just a little too tight.

"I can't believe you're doing this. It's really not your style."  
"What can I say, being friends with Gryffindors can change a woman," joked Dorcas.  
"If they do anything to you, I'll be near."  
"Relax, Lily. They won't."

The Gryffindor didn't seem to believe it. Dorcas took a deep breath. It was better taking care of it now, she kept on thinking. Mulciber would come around eventually. Of course he would. Or at least, Carrow would convince him.

"Dorcas!" Amycus greeted as he spotted her. "Come talk with us."

Mulciber turned his head and squinted his eyes. Dorcas didn't stop smiling, the cold sensation growing gradually in her chest.

"How is my favorite Quidditch captain?" she asked way too cheerfully.

Carrow's pallid cheeks turned pink almost immediately. Maybe Diana was right.

"Good, good, we were talking about—"  
"How you apparently apologized to Potter?" Mulciber cut coldly.

That was a rhetorical question.

"Oh, does that bother you, _Albert_? " Dorcas inquired in a falsely worried tone.  
"Yes it does, _Dorcas_. You're a part of the Slytherin team. Your loyalty should lie there. With us."

The cold intensified and reached Dorcas' throat.

"My loyalty?" she repeated, almost choking on the words. "Should I remind you of an incident that happened last year? Where both of you and Avery infuriated Gryffindor's team to a degree where even breaking McKinnon's kneecap was not enough?"  
"Are you saying it's our fault if we didn't win last year's cup?" Mulciber spat between gritted teeth.  
"I'm saying that I'm trying not to repeat the same mistakes we've done in the past."

The cold feeling had disappeared from Dorcas' guts and was replaced by a burning anger. She was truly tired of constant apprehension, but first and foremost was annoyed by the lack of comprehensive capacity Mulciber was demonstrating. She should be the one mad at him for blowing Slytherin's chance to win.

"Dorcas is right, Albert," Amycus Carrow stepped in. "What she's done makes sense. You need to stop taking everything so personally, man."

Mulciber rolled his eyes and shrugged. Dorcas felt her heartbeat coming back to a normal pace. She silently thanked Carrow for taking her defense. She didn't want to make a scene.

"You're right, Amycus," Mulciber declared reluctantly.  
"As usual." He turned his head toward Dorcas. "He can be a little too much sometimes."  
"I can hear you, you know!"  
"You really need to take it down a notch, my friend" Amycus commented. "You're not part of the Dark Lord's army yet, you don't have to cry bloody murder everytime one of us interact with a Gryffindor."  
"Maybe that's true. It just feels so close."

Dorcas' felt her hair stand up on her whole body. *Yet*. That sentence was a cold reminder of who stood in front of her.

"By the way, how's your little Mudblood friend, Evans?"

Dorcas winced at the insult. No matter how often she'd hear it, it'd always left a metallic feeling in her mouth.

"Don't call her that," she said sharply as Mulciber threw her a mocking glare.  
"Come on, does spending time with Gryffindors make you afraid of a simple word?" he nagged. "I thought they took pride in bravery."

She wanted to say it. Oh, how she wanted to say it. She wanted to spit it in his face and watch the fear widen his eyes.

Carrow squeezed her arm to get her out of her thoughts. He looked at her right in her eyes.

"Let's get lunch, Dorcas," he declared. "I'll see you later, Albert."

Once they reached an empty corridor near the Great Hall, Amycus stopped walking and made a gesture for Dorcas to get closer.

"What?" she whispered.  
"You have to be careful, Dorcas. I know you take your Prefect's role to heart and—"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, that's why you don't want Albert to say "Mudblood" right? Since this Dumbledore asshole banned it."

Of course that's why he thought Dorcas got mad. They didn't know she actually had morals.

"But you should, you know... " He stopped, noticeably uncomfortable. "...show a little more loyalty to this house and what it represents."  
"And what does that represent to you?" Dorcas asked hastily.  
"Power, ambition, greatness !" His eyes glistened in excitement. "You're incredible, Dorcas. You're the top of our class in almost everything, and you're in Slug's Club. That's not nothing!"

Dorcas first wondered how could she have not noticed earlier the obvious thing Carrow had for her. Then, she realized she had more pressant issues. Like him suggesting she'd be a good Death Eater.

"I think you're exaggerating," Dorcas countered, looking around to see a possible exit to this very uncomfortable conversation.  
"No, I'm not. Everyone agrees with me. You'd be a great witch with us."

She did not have to ask what us meant. She knew, and he knew that she knew.

"I know you have what it takes," he said with a compassionate voice, " and we'll let you think about it. But seriously consider it, Dorcas. For you own good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Is it another theater reference in the title, you might ask? And the answer is yes.)

**Author's Note:**

> don't hesitate to leave a Kudos or a comment if you liked it!


End file.
